INSECTS AFFECTIXG PARK AXD WOODLAXD TREES 97 



This insect resembles the painted hickory borer very closely indeed, 

 and the two can be distinguished more easily b)' their food plants, and by 

 the locust borer occurring in the fall, and the species affecting hickory in 

 the spring, than by any structural characteristics or details in coloration. 

 The male of the hickory insect may also be recognized by its antennae being 

 longer than the body and quite stout, and by the wing covers being indented 

 at the base and tapering toward their tip, so that the two together equal the 

 basal width of one of them, as stated by Dr Walsh. 



Destructiveness in New York State. Dr J. B. Smith includes this 

 insect in his list of species found in Xew Jersey and states that its presence 

 renders it impossible to raise decent trees in most localities. This seems to 

 be exactly the condition which prevails in many sections of New York 

 State. The locust tree is a rapid, vigorous grower and therefore does not 

 show the operations of a borer so quickly as do some others. It is a rare 

 thing to meet with uninjured trees and not infrequently many rows of locust 

 trees are from one quarter to two thirds dead as the result of this insect's 

 work. Mr M. F. Adams in a recent communication, attributes the destruc- 

 tion of nearly all the locust trees in the city of Buffalo to the work of this 

 species and the carpenter worm, P r i o n o x y s t u s r o b i n i a e Peck, and 

 in 1899, the writer received from Poughkeepsie the trunk of a young locust 

 which had been literally riddled by this borer. 



Remedial measures. Ordinarily it is impossible to do much to control 



this species as the tree is hardly worth the attendant expense. Writers, 



however, suggest applying to the trunks a repellant wash in the early fall to 



prevent deposition of eggs, and this would probably help considerably in 



avoiding infestation. It is also advisable to cut and burn badly infested 



trees which may be done at any time during the winter. This species is a 



sun-loving beetle and it appears to have a preference for trees with trunks 



and branches exposed to the sun. Thick groves would therefore be more 



likely to escape injury. 



Bibliography 



1859 Fitch, Asa. Ins. NT. Y. 51)1 Rep't, p. 50-52 



1890 Packard, A. S. U. S. Ent. Com. 5th Rep't, p. 355-58 



